Visit to Kinbreak Bothy

I was recently given a copy of The Scottish Bothy Bible by Geoff Allan.
It is a lovely book lavishly illustrated with photographs of the hills and the bothies. I realised that despite having lived in Lochaber for 5 years I haven't stayed in many of the local bothies. Seeking to remedy this I went to Kinbreak bothy in Glenkingie last weekend.
 I got Helen to drop me off at Glenfinnan .I took the track north under the viaduct made famous by the Harry Potter movie and on to Glenfinnan Lodge.Beyond there the path climbs to col and then descends into Gleann Cuirnean. It was very dramatic landscape although low cloud mist and rain obscured most of it.The stags were rutting; their loud bellowing adding to the gothic atmosphere.

Looking from the col into Gleann Cuirnean

.Lower down the path became boggy and narrow. There were some beautiful waterfalls. Finally I was sloshing through the swamp in Glendessary , I spotted two wild boar but they were quite small and ran away squealing.  Next I took the steep path over to Glenkingie, It started off as a good track but soon became very boggy. Several times I went in up to my hips. I was was quite relieved when I finally spotted the red roof of the Kinbreak bothy. There was once a house  at Kinbreak which was inhabited until the 1940's by the local shepherd, however it is now a ruin and  only the byre remains.
The ground floor of the bothy is very basic with a cobbled floor and stone walls but the loft has been made into a snug living space . There are a couple of settles a fireplace and a table .
I set up my little wood stove in the fire place and brewed a mug of tea with a few bits of wood  I had carried in. After eating I drank some whisky  then went to bed feeling well satisfied with my day.The bothy book had several references to Larry the bothy mouse. I heard him in the night scampering  here and  there but it was too dark to see what he was up to.
I rose early and was away by 6.30 .Crossing the burn by the bothy in the dark was tricky as it was swollen by all the recent rain.I trudged back over the hill and  through the bogs and was in Glendessary by 8am . I then had a long trek along the road beside Loch Arkaig.The road was initially a relief after the bogs but soon I was wishing for an end to the tarmac. The morning started wet and windy but later the weather cleared and there were brief periods of sunshine.The loch was glorious with the autumn colours starting  to show on the hills and the water reflecting  the blue sky.
Loch Arkaig is very long but eventually I reached its head and  went through  the dark mile to Clunes.(The dark mile is stretch of road hemmed in by the hills creating a damp, dark and mossy place) .At Clunes I managed to get a phone signal so phoned Helen for a lift home. I could have jogged the remaining  7 miles but was a bit weary of the road.
I really enjoyed staying at Kinbreak and am inspired to visit more local bothies.

Loch Arkaig Looking West